Category Archives: Featured

Foundation supports music, arts education

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Songwriter Steve Azar speaking at the music room dedication.

GREENVILLE – St Joseph High School has a new music room thanks to support from the Steve Azar Delta Soul celebrity golf and charity event. Proceeds from the fund-raiser for the St. Cecelia Foundation helped make the room possible.
Father Bill Henry, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, blessed the room at the June 5 dedication celebration. St. Joseph School principal, Paul Artman, welcomed all of the guests, which included founders of the St. Cecilia Foundation, Steve and Gwen Azar, the Delta Soul Committee, sponsors of the Delta Soul event, alumni and friends.
Azar, a native of the Mississippi Delta, is a songwriter, artist and producer who released his debut album, Waitin’ on Joe in 2001. Azar’s song, “I Don’t Have To Be Me, Til Monday,” received the Three Million Radio Airplay Award and is among the top ten most played songs on country radio in the past decade.
The St. Cecilia Foundation, named after the patron saint of musicians and composers, was founded in 2006. The focus of the foundation is to aid charitable organizations, particularly in the Delta region, that aid sick, disadvantaged and abused children of all denominations. The foundation also supports the arts and music within educational and cultural institutions.

Friends, family and alumni gather to celebrate the dedication of a new music room at St. Joseph School thanks to support from Steve Azar’s St. Cecilia Foundation. (Photos by Lisa Zepponi)


In a letter Azar posted in the website for the Delta Soul event he mentioned he has witnessed the progress and difference “we are all making together for the Delta. We must continue to nurture the arts in our children’s lives and in the lives of future generations.”
He added that through the proceeds from the golf and charity event the foundation was able to set up a scholarship fund that awarded 10 college scholarships to one graduate from each high school in Washington County and start a music and arts program at St. Joseph  High School, where three generations of his family have attended. The foundation also created and funded a unique career planning program at Delta State University that integrates business students with music and art students.
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Father Bill Henry, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, leads the group in prayer before the room dedication.


The music and arts programs at both Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Joseph Schools have benefited from Azar’s St. Cecilia Foundation and the accomplishments of the past few years reflect that support. The schools report awards and benefits such as students winning GreenvilleArts Council Merit of Excellence awards in the annual Student Art Exhibit; the creation of full music curriculum, including choir, sacred music, piano, and band; students winning first place in the Mississippi High School Film Competition for two consecutive years; the creation of a digital video department and curriculum; official Selection of a student-created short film by the New York All American High School Film Festival; a student winning a Silver Key Award in watercolor art;  students winning two Regional Scholastic Art Awards; invitations to participate in various National and International Film Festivals and the addition of handbells for Lourdes music classes and the Garage Band App for iPads for music classes.

Lay ministers play important role in diocese

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By Maureen Smith
Since the Catholic Diocese of Jackson does not have enough priests to staff every parish and mission full time with an ordained pastor of its own, the church has called on lay members to help with administrative, educational and other jobs. These people, called lay ecclesial ministers (LEM), are appointed by the bishop, go through a formation process through the diocese and fall under the supervision of a priest. Pastoral ministers, such as music leaders or youth leaders, also serve their church using their gifts, but are not appointed by the bishop the way LEMs are.
“LEMs have the regular administrative duties a pastor would normally have – such as presiding over the parish council and finance committee, maintaining sacramental records and serving as administrator of parish property. LEMs are also empowered by the bishop of the diocese to preach the Word of God at a daily Communion service or at a Sunday service in the absence of a priest; and baptize in the absence of a priest, as well as coordinate and perform other sacramental and liturgical ministry,” explained Sheila Przesmicki, who serves as the LEM at Booneville St. Francis of Assisi parish.
Paula Fulton became the LEM at Louisville Sacred Heart Parish June 1, replacing a retiring Barbara Sturbaum who served in the position for 21 years. She will work with two assistants to serve the Catholic community there. “I want our church members to find projects and participate in the community.
Hopefully our membership will grow and include more young families,” said Fulton. She became interested in lay ministry when a pair of nuns came to run her parish because of the priest shortage. She said now she is committed to the idea of lay leadership. “If our church is going to continue to grow and thrive, lay leaders must evolve and become committed to continuing our presence in small communities,” she said.
A pastor must first recommend someone to start training to be an LEM. The training, offered and coordinated by the Office of Faith Formation includes academic and practical knowledge. “Lay Ecclesial Ministers, Pastoral Ministers and others who serve as lay leaders have the opportunity for an annual weekend retreat, a week-long training every June at Lake Tiak O’Khata, participation in LIMEX or Spring Hill College courses, as well as theology courses provided through the Diocesan Catechist Certification process,” explains the training document from the Faith Formation office on how a lay person becomes an LEM. They also have the opportunity to take classes to learn other practical skills such as parish administration, team leadership and education.
Both Spring Hill College and the University of Loyola in New Orleans, which offers the LIMEX program, offer extension programs in the diocese in which people can earn a master’s degree in theology. LEMs need this kind of academic training when they are running the day-to-day operations of a parish, planning liturgical celebrations and dealing with issues in a parish, but LEMs do not administer sacraments. The LEM will collaborate with the priest who ministers to the spiritual needs of a community.
Przesmicki said she did not have an ‘a-ha’ moment leading her into lay leadership, but has been involved in the work of the church since she was a child. “My first job in ministry was in the fourth or fifth grade when Father (her pastor) asked me to straighten up the books in church and make sure the kneelers were up on Mondays. He paid me a dollar to do it and I was just so pleased to have something to do,” she said. She took on larger roles as the years passed until she was called to replace a retiring sister who ministered to the parish in Houston. She said the gradual call kept leading her to more and more work in the diocese.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) outlines the role, supervision and training of lay people who serve in ministry in a document called “Co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord.” “Today in parishes, schools, church institutions, and diocesan agencies, laity serve in various ‘ministries, offices and roles’ that do not require sacramental ordination but rather ‘find their foundation in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, indeed, for a good many of them, in the Sacrament of Matrimony.’
“What Pope Paul VI said of the laity thirty years ago—and what the Catechism of the Catholic Church specifically repeats — has now become an important, welcomed reality throughout our dioceses,” reads part of the introduction. The Diocese of Jackson has 17 parish LEMs and countless other lay catechists, parish leaders and more.
“The term “lay ecclesial minister” is generic. It is meant to encompass and describe several possible roles. In parish life — to cite only one sphere of involvement —  the pastoral associate, parish catechetical leader, youth ministry leader, school principal, and director of liturgy or pastoral music are examples of such roles. Participation in the exercise of the pastoral care of a parish, as described in the Code of Canon Law, canon 517 §2,12 is another example,” continues the USCCB document.

Sisters mark jubilees

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Werkhooven

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Sister Maria van Werkhooven, a Sister of Charity, BVM, will celebrate 50 years in religious life this summer.
In the Diocese of Jackson Sister van Werkhooven ministered as medical technologist and manager of the laboratories in Mound Bayou Community Hospital and Delta Health Center, Mound Bayou.

She worked as medical technologist in Papua New Guinea and Dubuque, Iowa, where she was also supervisor of the chemistry lab. In Memphis, Tenn., she received a fellowship in administration, and has served as manager and vice president of planning and business development, project specialist and director of administration, all in health care facilities. Currently she is the director of the Office of Medical Research, Regional Medical Center in Memphis.
“The places where I have ministered have each been object lessons in discovering how God is calling me to live in relationship with my BVM sisters and the people with whom I work and live. Having always worked in the area of healthcare . . . I have had professionally enriching opportunities,” says Sister Maria. She will enjoy a celebration as part of regular Saturday Vigil Mass on Aug. 30 at St. Peter Church, Memphis.

 

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Welding

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – On June 21, 73 U.S. School Sisters of St. Francis celebrated milestone anniversaries of service as women religious. In addition, five lay women and men in associate relationship with the community celebrated their 40-year jubilee, and one celebrated her 25-year jubilee. Eight of these sisters served in the Diocese of Jackson:
Sister Arlene Welding, a native of Oakdale, Nebraska, celebrated her 75th anniversary. She has a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., and a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco. Sister Welding taught at St. Francis School in Yazoo City (1953-1962). She currently resides in Campbellsport, Wisconsin.

 

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Doyle

Three sisters celebrated 70 years of religious life:
Sister Michele Doyle was born in Forest Park, Ill. She has a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., and master’s degrees from Loyola University and the University of St. Thomas. In the Diocese of Jackson, she taught at St. Francis High School in Yazoo City (1949–1969 and 1973-1975) and Jackson State University (1969–1975). She also served as director of adult religious education for the diocese (1975–1983) and was director of education at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Madison (1991-2006).
Sister Doyle worked part-time at Mississippi Catholic for sevreal years helping to connect the paper with Catholic schools and religious education classes. She was chairman of the paper’s advisory board. Sister Doyle helped coordinate lay leadership training classes for the diocesan Faith Formation Office. She currently serves as a part-time lay minister in Jackson.

 

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Pisors

Sister Helen Pisors (de Porres) was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She has a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
In the Diocese of Jackson, she taught at CADET School in Holly Springs (1969-1980 and 1990-1995) and Holy Family School in Holly Springs (1995 -1998), and served as a volunteer at her convent home in Walls (1998-2006). Sister Pisors currently resides in Campbellsport, Wis.

 

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Reinke

Sister Mary Louise Reinke was born in Chicago, Ill. She has a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., and a master’s degree from Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss.
In the Diocese of Jackson, she was principal at St. Francis School in Yazoo City (1965-1966), reading consultant at Christ the King School in Jackson (1966–1969), reading consultant for the diocese (1969-1970 and 1971-1973), teacher at St. Joseph High School in Jackson (1970–1971), director for the St. Francis Head start Program in Yazoo City (1973-1975), and for Yazoo Community Action Head start Program (1975-1998).  Sister currently resides in Greenfield, Wis.

 

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Schmidtknecht

Sister Ramona Ann Schmidtknecht (Sophronia) celebrated her 60th anniversary of religious life. She was born in Galesville, Wis.  She has a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., and a master’s degree from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
In the Diocese of Jackson she served as a teacher at St. Mary School in Holly Springs (1963-1969); teacher at CADET School in Holly Springs (1969-1995); director at Child Care Center in Holly Springs (1973-1975); teacher at Holy Family School in Holly Springs (1995-1999); and food service manager at Christopher Care Center in Holly Springs (1999-2001) and at Holy Family Early Childhood Center in Holly Springs (2001-2004).
Since 2004, she has taught at Holy Family Early Childhood Center in Holly Springs, where she resides.

 

Three sisters celebrated 50 years:

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Engelhaupt

Sister Bernadette Engelhaupt (Ronald Marie) was born in Spencer, Nebraska. She has a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., and a master’s degree from Loyola University in Chicago, Ill. In the Diocese of Jackson, she served as parish minister at St. Mary Parish in Iuka (2002-2009). She currently resides in Loup City, Nebraska.

 

 

 

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McNulty

Sister Kathleen McNulty was born in Blue Island, Ill. She has a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., and a master’s degree from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Col. In the Diocese of Jackson, she taught at St. Francis School in Yazoo City (1968-1969) and CADET School in Holly Springs (1969-1975 and 1976-1978).  She currently resides in Chicago, Ill.

 

 

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Heiderscheit

Sister Dorothy Heiderscheit,  was born in Holy Cross, Iowa. She received a bachelor’s degree from Briar Cliff University, Sioux City, Iowa, and Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa; and a master’s degree from Tulane University, New Orleans. She served at Region V Community Mental Health Center, Greenville; Catholic Charities, Jackson, and was a member of the congregation’s leadership team.
Sister Heiderscheit is currently the CEO of The Southdown Institute, Holland Landing, Ontario, Canada.

 

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Picucci

INDIANA – Sister Loretta Picucci, a native of Chicago, is one of 10 Sisters of Providence of Saint Matry-of-the-Woods, who will celebrate 50 years with the congregation this year. She currently ministers in Hispanic ministry at Providence in the Desert, Coachella, Calif. She graduated from Loyola University with a bachelor’s degree in Latin. In the Diocese of Jackson se served in Tunica at Outreach Service Minister, Sacred Heart Mission (1983-91).

Migration center seeks new funding

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Former and current employees of the Migrant Support Center advocate for immigration reform at the state capitol. This is just one of many ministries of the office (File photo by Elsa Baughman)

By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – The Migrant Support Center, a ministry of Catholic Charities Jackson formerly called the Immigration Clinic, files between 700-800 cases a year with a staff of one caseworker, a part-time assistant and a contract attorney. The center provides a variety of direct services to the immigrant population in the area, including family-based services to individuals seeking adjustment of immigration status, work authorization, naturalization and citizenship, as well as interpretation and translation services.
The center is now seeking new sources of funding. The grant money that started the service has run its course. Teresita Turner, the director of the center, said the center offers much-needed services with its limited resources.
“This is about more than just paperwork. This is about changing lives,” said Turner. “Seeing a family reunited that has been separated for years, seeing a woman be able to escape an abusive situation, seeing someone have an opportunity to change their life, that’s what makes this important,” she said. One of her most memorable cases involved a man with five children who came to the U.S. to work 30 years ago. He was forced to leave part of his family back home. While he was home for a Christmas visit he was kidnapped and held for months while his kidnappers tried to extort money from his family. When he finally escaped, Turner was able to get him asylum and had a case for bringing the rest of the family to protect them from future attacks.
These kinds of cases fit right in with what Catholics are called to do, according to Greg Patin, executive director of Catholic Charities. “Catholic Charities Migrant Support Center brings to life a number of the principles of Catholic social teaching,” said Patin. “Primarily, the center exemplifies the principle of the dignity of the human person. Each person is made in the image and likeness of God and does not lose their dignity because of circumstance, poverty or country of origin. We demonstrate the principle of the dignity of work – the right of all people to be co-creators with God in the world by having access to decent and productive work,” he said.
Immigration services are just the tip of the iceberg, said Turner. The center seeks to educate its clients. “We teach English, we do presentations on taxes, we explain their rights and responsibilities so they can be good citizens and participate in their communities, even if they are just here visiting or working,” she said. She has even helped translate a driver’s manual so clients can understand the rules of the road.
Her clients range from students to workers in the construction, agricultural and service industries. She ticked off a list of at least 20 countries from which her clients hail, Nigeria, Mexico, Belize, Colombia, India, and the Philippines.The list goes on and on.
New immigrant business owners generated $181 million in net income in Mississippi in 2010, according to the American Immigration Council. Foreign born entrepreneurs own more than four percent of all businesses in the state. Students are also a part of the economic picture, contributing more than $42 million to the state economy annually. The council stated that more than a third of the immigrants in Mississippi are naturalized citizens.
Many of the Migrant Service Center clients are eligible for a fee waiver from the government. Others are in the U.S. seeking political asylum or have become victims of crime. Turner has had cases of women who came to the U.S. to be with a fiancé only to discover that person is abusive.
Turner said migrants who are victimized are granted a special protected status if they cooperate with authorities. One of the families she helped was robbed four times. When they told Turner, she was able to put them in touch with the police. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and several police departments across the state have asked Turner to lead workshops or assist in their cases.
Migrants can apply for visas or green cards on their own, but the process is complicated and fraught with pitfalls. They may get all the way through the initial paperwork process, but if they have forgotten one item of documentation or misunderstand one step, they lose their chance. Simpson Goodman, the attorney for the center, said understanding their rights and responsibilities can make all the difference.
The center cannot help anyone who entered the country illegally. Those who cross illegally, said Turner, must return to their home countries and apply for entry.
Sometimes, Turner is able to refer migrants to appropriate auxiliary resources. She had one client who was homeless, had lost his green card and had mental health issues. Not only was Turner able to get his documents back in order, she was able to locate his family, who were overjoyed to welcome him home.

The center also hosts consulates from many nations. “Basically, the consul will come and we will secure a place for them and be on hand to help with paperwork so people can come renew their passports or other paperwork,” she explained.
The field of immigration is a constantly changing landscape, said both Turner and Goodman. “We have to take training constantly to stay current on laws, on who is eligible for asylum and more,” she said. This training takes time and money from the already strained budget. Turner used to have a case worker in Vardaman, but budget constraints cut that position. Now she has to travel all across the state to try and serve the growing population.
Turner said the board of directors is seeking money from corporations who rely on foreign workers, but they are also making an appeal to individuals and parishes to send the money needed to keep the doors open. “We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. We strive every day to ‘welcome the stranger’ to our land,” said Patin.
Contact Michael Thomas at Catholic Charities at 601-355-8634 or michael.thomas@ccjackson.org to donate. Mention Migrant Support Services on all checks.

Prison ministry seeks volunteers

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By Maureen Smith
There are 16 correctional facilities in the Diocese of Jackson and precious few people working to minister to the Catholic inmates. Those who do visit the imprisoned are inviting anyone willing to step forward and undergo training for this ministry.
“I don’t call it a ministry, I call it doing what the Lord tells you,” said Lee Grillo, who visits women at the state facility in Rankin County. She started out 30 years ago teaching a quilting class to women in the prison in Parchman, but now lives in Jackson. She says her years of visiting have been good for her spiritual development, saying the women in prison have taught her how to be a better Christian.
“It is not scary. I’m not going to tell you some of the women don’t deserve to be there, but they are some of the most prayerful women you will ever come across,” said Grillo. She said many of those incarcerated are just regular people who have made a mistake and need to stay connected to their faith while they face the consequences of their actions.
Raymond Barry, who coordinates visits for a group at Jackson St. Richard Parish agreed. “It’s just that these are people who have done something that has caused them to be separated from their families and friends. They are still the same people you might see in a restaurant or around town,” he said.
Both Barry and Grillo bring Communion to the prisons and lead other devotions such as Bible studies, watching DVDs or praying together. The inmates run their own Communion services, the visitors just provide the Eucharist and stay for fellowship and study.
Marvin Edwards works full time in his unpaid position as the Catholic services coordinator at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. He even has an office in the facility, which he visits six times a month. He goes into the different units to offer services and different ministries. In addition to offering Communion and religious reading materials, Edwards said he tries to give the inmates writing paper and envelopes so they can keep in touch with family or even just to write him letters. Sometimes, he said, he brings simple toiletries as well.
He said most of the prisons in the state are privately run and that’s where Catholics get few visitors. When inmates are transferred from Parchman to a private prison they often contact Edwards to say they have no access to Catholic ministry at all. No reconciliation, no Eucharist, no rosary, no fellowship or conversation.
Edwards said just a few hours a month can make a huge difference to an inmate. “Compassion, that’s what they want. They want someone they can trust to talk to and to be open with,” he said. “They have so much time to read and study, but they are isolated in their study,” he explained. “When you are in the system you are always vulnerable to being taken advantage of so they are always on guard. They have questions so they need someone they can ask,” he added.
Edwards hopes to expand his ministry to those who have just been released from prison. He hopes to gather people and resources to start some sort of program or half-way house to help people re-integrate into society once they are released from prison. “When they get out, for many of them their families are gone or far away, their friends are gone, they are basically just dropped off,” he said. This effort is just in the organizing stage, so look for updates as plans become more concrete.
Those who want to visit prisoners must undergo a background check and take a short orientation course, usually a three to four hour process. There is a June 18 deadline for the August training in Rankin county. Edwards said there is a class in Parchman sometime in July. Both Barry and Edwards would be happy to help anyone get the process started for any prison in the diocese.

Helping vets out of the woods

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By Maureen Smith
Soldiers are trained to live in often brutal conditions, camping or making-do in terrible situations during deployments for their country. What many people don’t know is that some veterans are forced to use those survival skills when they come home. Catholic Charities is using a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help those low-income vets who are homeless or have unstable housing situations in the Diocese of Jackson. The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program started in February in four offices throughout the state.

“This has been an eye-opening experience,” said Chamon Williams, the program coordinator. “We love the people we encounter and some of these stories are heart-wrenching. These are people who have served our country and now they are living below the poverty level,” she added.

The SSVF seeks out vets and their families who are either homeless or who are “couch surfing,” meaning they are staying with friends and family for short periods of time. The main goal of the program is to get them in a stable housing situation through case management, but Williams said the case workers are doing much more than that.

“We provide utility assistance, help with job location, sometimes we can help with transportation and clothing vouchers,” she explained. Many times, she said, the veterans are not aware of the many programs and resources available to them so SSVF case workers act as connectors to other partners and agencies.

Budgeting is sometimes an issue. One client in Natchez was living in a wooded area near a retail center. He was getting a pension every month but could not seem to make the money stretch. “He was unable to budget his money and save so he could move into permanent housing,” said his case manager, Cynthia Jackson. She was able to help with the deposits for an apartment and utilities and help him learn how to manage his budget. “At the present time, he is in a stable housing situation and is paying his own rent and utilities,” she said. When she went to visit him recently, he offered her a cup of milk as he unloaded groceries. He was all settled in and had clean clothes drying on a clothesline. Jackson said she was touched by the normal domestic scene since he had been homeless just a few short weeks before. “He is very happy and thankful for the assistance he received through the Catholic Charities SSVF program,” Jackson added.

Williams said she has spoken with some clients who have fallen victim to predatory lenders. One man had taken out four different loans from high-interest so-called payday lenders in an attempt to pay off one debt. Case managers worked with him to break the cycle and pay off all the debts to get a clean start.

Another family in the Delta heard about the program on the radio. The veteran, his pregnant wife and their son were living with family, but needed to get a home of their own before their baby was born. “On May 9, two wonderful things happened for this couple. The first being the couple was able to secure housing,” wrote their case worker Melissa Ivory. The second bit of good news is that the husband has secured job training to become an IT specialist. Their baby is due in June.

Kimberle Neal, who works in the Vardaman office, said one of her greatest joys is seeing how her clients thrive when they are empowered to make a positive change. “There’s always a helping hand, but it’s nothing like trying to help yourself first. I must say that it has been a pleasant experience to meet and collaborate with new clients that are seeking help in order to have a better way of life,” she said.

“We wanted to reach an under and unserved population,” Williams explained about why Catholic Charities pursued this grant. “When we started there was one organization working with veterans only in the Jackson area, and it was located in Hattiesburg. There are now five partner organizations throughout the state,” she added. Catholic Charities already had staff in the Delta and the northern part of the state so they knew about the need and knew they could bring the right services to those areas.

Catholic Charities takes advantage of the synergy of its network of services. Recently Williams delivered a load of new clothing donated by Catholic Charities’ thrift store All Things New to clients in the SSVF program. Ivory, who works in Greenwood, was able to use those clothes for some of her clients. “One of my clients was able to find items to wear to church and future interviews. Others took the basics for everyday wear and were extremely happy to have clothing that fit,” said Ivory.

Other case managers can refer their clients to other programs and services to help with other needs they may have. Catholic Charities in Jackson was one of 15 Catholic Charities entities across the nation to get this grant.
SSVF case managers have offices in Jackson, Greenwood, Vardaman and Natchez. Case managers hope to impact 100 families by late fall of this year. To participate in this program or assist call Chamon Williams at Catholic Charities at 601-355-8634 .

Farewell to Debbie Turk

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JACKSON – St. Richard School and Parish honored Debbie Turk, who is retiring after 27 years of service with a special Mass and reception on Wednesday, May 14.
All those years, she worked in the school cafeteria and in the church nursery, missing only one time when she had surgery. She serves in the parish as Eucharistic minister and is an active member of the REACH Program.
Turk is known for making rosaries for the prison ministry, small faith communities, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) candidates for St. Richard and other parishes. She has even taught the students and teachers how to make them. She also volunteers at the Mustard Seed and plays sports in her free time.
St. Richard School students presented her farewell cards before the Mass. After the liturgy, principal Lisa Geimer gave Turk, a life-long Mississippi State fan, a huge cow bell as a thank you gift.

Educators attend convention

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PITTSBURGH – Educators from Catholic schools across America browse the vendor area at the NCEA convention in April. (CNS photo/Chuck Fazio, courtesy NCEA)

By John Franko
PITTSBURGH (CNS) – The new evangelization is not a new Gospel, but refocuses the faithful on the good news of Jesus and involves the renewal of faith and the willingness to share it, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington told the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA).

“We bring a fuller vision,” Cardinal Wuerl said of the Catholic faith during his keynote address at NCEA’s annual convention. “We need to admit that and be proud of it.”
Hosted by the Diocese of Pittsburgh in partnership with the NCEA, Catholic Library Association and the National Association of Parish and Catechetical Directors, the convention drew about 6,000 participants during its April 22-24 run at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, including four representatives from the Diocese of Jackson.

Karla Luke, operations and support services coordinator for the Office of Education in the diocese, said the conference was a wonderful opportunity.
“The sessions I attended included Joy in the Vocation of the Educator, which focused on the demands of teaching and how to bring joy to our vocations by contemplating Christ,” she said. “I also attended two sessions on Advancing the National Standards for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools. There was robust discussion among school administrators, teachers and diocesan administrators using self-assessment as a means to school improvement and strategic planning,” Luke added.

As a bonus, the conference introduced a smartphone app allowing attendees to bring resources and some presentations to their home dioceses.
Cardinal Wuerl, a native son and former bishop of Pittsburgh, presented his remarks in light of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, “The Joy of the Gospel” (“Evangelii Gaudium”) and the pontiff’s call for a new evangelization within the church and around the world. In the exhortation, the cardinal noted, the pope invites people to focus on the blessing that is the love of God in their lives.

“His energy is a bright ray breaking through the secular darkness,” Cardinal Wuerl added. While the church is the home of the new evangelization, he said, Catholic education is an instrument of it.

The cardinal explained that it can involve “ordinary” areas of evangelization, something as simple as teaching a child the sign of the cross and that it can focus on outreach to those who have fallen away from the church.

“The church brings to our world today an invitation to faith, an encounter with the Lord Jesus and a whole way of living,” he said. But the secular world is often overwhelming, Cardinal Wuerl noted, and many markers of the faith have been taken away. He expressed concern that secularism has also diminished appreciation of the faith.

Passing on the faith highlights the importance of Catholic schools and religious education programs, he said, explaining that if the new evangelization is to be successful, children must be firmly grounded in an authentic faith. Only then will children be able to live their faith and daily existence with Christ, he added.

Expressing his belief that Catholic education must present a real vision of what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God, Cardinal Wuerl said the authentic proclamation of Christ begins with a clear declaration of who God is. The faithful, he noted, must understand how essential the church is in their lives. The work of building the kingdom as just the beginning, he said.

Cardinal Wuerl said that evangelization involves the work of disciples who share the good news. It involves a bold new courage, a connectedness to the church and a sense of urgency that reminds people it is their time to pass on the message of Jesus.
“Our message should be one that inspires people to follow us,” he said.
(Franko is a staff writer for the Pittsburgh Catholic Review, newspaper of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.)Maureen Smith contributed to this article)